Contract talks between Northern Light Health and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield failed to reach an agreement Friday night — the deadline for reaching a deal to ensure in-network health coverage continues for about 30,000 Mainers.

However, on Saturday morning Northern Light President and CEO Guy Hudson told the Press Herald that Anthem patients would not be treated as out of network as negotiations continue.

Anthem could not be reached Saturday to confirm.

In an emailed statement Friday night, Anthem spokesperson Jim Turner said Northern Light would be “unwilling” to extend the current contract past the Oct. 31 deadline.

Northern Light Health, however, said negotiations were continuing.

“We have been negotiating throughout the day and remain confident that we can get an agreement signed in the agreed upon timeframe,” said Suzanne Spruce, Northern Light Health’s senior vice president. “We are disappointed that Anthem has decided to again release false information to the media as discussions are ongoing.”

In an email to the Press Herald on Nov. 1, Hudson said patients who are Anthem customers will continue to receive care with Northern Light without disruption while negotiations continue.

“They will not be treated as out of network,” Hudson wrote. “We are committed to their health and care, which is why we are dedicated to a contract that protects the services they need.”

Northern Light operates Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Mercy Hospital in Portland, and a network of primary care and specialist services in much of northern and central Maine.

About 30,000 Anthem enrollees are Northern Light patients, including state employees and some nurses and firefighters.

“We’re committed to continuing talks until we reach an agreement that keeps Northern Light Health in our network at prices Mainers can afford,” Turner said.

The original contract for non-hospital services would have ended on Sept. 30, but the two sides came to a last-minute agreement to extend the contract to Oct. 31, after Gov. Janet Mills became involved.

The contract for hospital services ends on Dec. 31.

The two sides have engaged in contentious negotiations since this summer, with accusations becoming public and a formal mediation process starting in August. The center of the dispute is how much Anthem would reimburse health care providers.

In late September, Anthem accused Northern Light officials of asking for a 30% rate increase, which Northern Light officials said wasn’t true.

When the two sides agreed to a contract extension on Oct. 1, Mills said at the time that Anthem being out-of-network for Northern Light facilities would be “unacceptable and would have devastating impacts” by jeopardizing access to health care.

Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.